THE CLASSIFICATION PROGRAM

Abstract

In World War II a psychological program for the selection and classification of air crews was established in the Army Air Forces. The decision was made to use a screening test, the AAF Qualifying Examination, for preliminary selection of men to be trained for air crews. On the basis of a battery of printed and apparatus tests, weighted predictive scores were determined for the three air crew specialties: Pilot, bombardier, and navigator. Throughout the war an extensive program of research on the problems of the selection and classification of air crews was carried out by aviation psychologists. Stanines, as the weighted single-digit predictive scores were called, and classification and experimental tests were validated against success in training and combat.